Poem Analysis: On The Subway By Sharon Olds
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The poem, “On The Subway,” by Sharon Olds, depicts the thoughts of an caucasian woman as she sits across from an African American male while riding the subway, (hence the title On the Subway). The author uses similes, irony, allusion, and parallel structure to help portray the two different worlds that the woman and the man come from. The tone of the poem, and the imagery used, also helps describe the experience the author was feeling. In the beginning of the poem, the author starts out by referring to the male as a boy, which automatically tells readers that the guy is younger than the author. The author uses imagery by saying, “His feet are huge, in black sneakers laced with white complex pattern like a set of intentional scars.” This allows